Apparatus for handling railway ties



Aug. 11, 1925. 1,549,361

R. s. HURLEY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Filed Oct. 18. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 |lIlll| llilllll Illllll! llIlllI Aug. 11, 192s. 1,549,361

R. S. HURLEY MPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Fned oct. 1s. 1920 5 sheets-sheet a lllllll lllllll Illlllf lllllll llfllll llllllll lllllli llllllll lllllll( Illllll! lllllll IllIlll llllllll Tllllll IIIITII'I lve'n'ortf Aug. 11, 1925.

R. S. HURLEY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Filed Oct. 18. 1920 Zw 111011' Robe/* 6. HLLIeky,

Aug. 11, i925.

1,549,361 R. s. HURLEYr APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Filed oct. 1a. 1920 5 sheets-sheet 4' Aug. '11, 1925.

R. s. HURLEY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Filed Oct. 18. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor.' Hobff 5. Z/j, ,5y Quin' mm,

Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES ROBERT S. HURLEY, OF CLEVES, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES.

Application led October 18, 1920. Serial No. 417,708.

To all whom. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Ronn'r S. HURLEY, a citizen of t-he United States, residing at (lleves, in the eo-unty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Railway Ties, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to an apparatus. for handling railway ties, and has for its more specific object to provide a simple and etlicient apparatus to pick up ties which are piled in ricks for seasoning in a storage field and transfer and load them into small narrow gauge trams holding about thirty ties each, which trams are then run into treating cylinders in trains of fifteen at a time, wherein the ties are impregnated with creoscte. rFhe tie ricks are about 12 feet high and fort-y feet long containing live stacks each. Opposite one end of the ricks are standard gauge tracks on which the ties are brought into the storage field, and opposite the other end of the ricks are the tram tracks; these tracks dividing the field into narrow yards.

T he apparatus of the present invention is designed to facilitate and expedite the loading of the ties from the ricks onto the tram cars. l

In the accompanying drawings I have il.- lustrated a practical and approved embodiment of my invention, and referring thereto Fig. 1 is a side elevatio-n of a rick comprising five stacks arranged in a row, a tram track lying opposite one end of the rick and my improved transfer apparatus ap plied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts sho-wn in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illus.- trating a different position of the trolley line and a somewhat. different transfer and loading apparatus which is brought into use when the rick, inv the unloading of the same,

-has been lowered to a point at which the use of the tram loading boom is unnecessary;

Fig, l is a top plan view of the parts shown in F`ig.v3;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of the tie carrier and transfer hook, Fig. 5 showing a side elevation in the carrying position, Fig. G a front elevation as viewed from the right of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 a side elevat-ion in the dumping or discharging position and Fig. 8 a transverse section on the line 8-8 of F ig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, and Fig. 10 an end elevation, of an improved trolley more especially adapted for use in that phase of the work illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig'. 11 is a side elevation and Fig. 12 a top plan of the brake cont-rolled lead lowering device employed on the loading boom;

Figs. 13 and 14 are elevational views taken in planes of right angles. to each other of a device in the nature o-f a jack for lifting the trolley cable and trolley after the tie- Carrierhas received its load from the rick and facilitating its travel from the rick to the loading boom;

Figs. 15 and 16 are side elevation and top plan views', respectively, of a swivel roller construction designed to facilitate the transferl of individual ties fro-m the trolley directly onto the tram car;

Figs. 17, 1S and 19 are detail views of au improved differential pulley block-andtackle; Fig. 17 being a perspective elevation, broken out between its ends, Fig. 18 being a horizontal axial sec-tion, and Fig. 19 being a detail of the clutch shifting sleeve and cam;

Figs. 20, 21 and 22 are views of an expander for elevating one end of the top row of ties on a stack to facilitate the insertion thereunder of the tie carrier; Fig. 20 being a plan and Figs. 21 and 22 being end views in folded and open positions respectively; and

Figs. 23 and 24: are enlarged elevations, at right angles to each other, of a stack of ties illustrating' the method Vof piling the latter in the stack.

Referring to the drawings R designates as an entirety a rick of ties consisting, as is comme-n practice, o-f a. group of stacks s1, s2, s3, s, piled side by side in a single row. T designa-tes a narrow gauge tram track running past one end of the rick, and C designates as an entirety a tram car on which the ties are loaded and then carried into the treat ing cylinders.

Located adjacent to the track T and centrally opposite one end ofthe tie rick R is a round mast 20 having an upper sec-tion 20 vertically swiveled thereon b-y means of a bearing` sleeve or ferrule 20a' supported yby a collar 20D and cotter pin 20C; said upper llU swiveled mast section 20 carrying a horizontal transfer arm 21 adapted to swing over the track. Extending over and `supported upon the top of the mast 2O and above and lengthwise of the rick It is a. trolley cable 22, the vother end of which is supported upon a strut 23 footed upon the'rick, the end of the cable being suitably anchored to the ground a-t 2l, or to the bottom tie.

Mounted to travel on the trolley cable 22 is a trolley 25 from which is suspended a pulley blocleand-tackle indicated at 26, this latter having suspended therefrom a transfer hook designated as an entirety by 27,`and more particularly described hereinafter as to its peculiar construction and mode of manipulation. Hung from the transfer hook 27 is the tie-carrier 23. Suspended from the transfer arm 21 1s an endless chain 77 controlled by a brake designated generally` carrier to proper dumping position over either of a pair of tram cars C, standing adjacent to themast 20.

31 designates as an entirety a hand-operated jack which is footed on the rick R and li'ttinglyengages the cable 22 adjacent tothe loading point of the trolley carrier. `There is, of course, some slack and dip in the'cable 22; and the purpose of this cable lifting device is to elevate the loaded trolley and the cable after the tie-carrier Vhas been engaged with a load of ties and its weight partly transferred vto the cable bythe hoist, and start it on its way by unloading apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus as a whole will perhaps be better understood following upon a more specific and detailed description` of the several devices already generally described.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, in which I have illustrated Vin detail the structure of the tie-carrier, this member coinprises a pair of parallel cantilever arms each consisting of a horizontal tie-carrier bar 32 and an upwardly inclined suspension bar 33. The suspension bars 33 are connected at their upper ends by a transverse rod 34, and the tie-carrier arms 32 are similarly connected by a transverse rod 35, thereby providing a framelilre construction.

suspension links 37, and extending through and between the lower ends of the links 37 is a rod 38 having on one end an operatii'figA handle 39 bent at right angles thereto Vand on its other end a short toggle arm '40. Rig# gravity toward the Y Pivoted to the inner sides of the bar 33 at 36 are a pair of the arms 41 has, beyond its pivot, an extension 41V which forms a stop to limit the expanding movement of the toggle.

Secured to the rod 38 which, it will be remembered, pivotally connects the lower ends of the links 37, is a rope or cable 44, constituting a bail, this cable passing through a sleeve 45 mounted in the lower end of a pulley block 45, which block carries a pulley 46 mounted to ride on the transfer hook 27. The bail 44 may be slipped through the sleeve 45 several inches either way to more perfectly balance the load if too heavy on one end.

ln the position of the parts shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which is the lowering, liftingV and carrying position of the device, the suspension axis 36 of thecarrier frame is directly above and in vertical line with its center of gravity. lVhen, however, the handle 39 is swung upwardly to substantially the positionV shown in Fig. 7, the toggle is broken, `and the point 'of suspension is shifted rearwardly from the suspension axis 36,` thereby causing the bottom bars 32 of the carrier frame to assumethe tilted position shown in Fig. 7 so that the ties readily slide od onto'the tram car. `Then the handle 39 is returned to the position shown in F ig..V 5, the point of suspension is shifted back to the pivot axis 36, andthe bottom bars 32 assume the horizontal position.

The transfer hoolr 27 consists of a rod bent into` triangular `form as more clearly shown lin Figs. 5 and 7 and having a lower pulley engaging member 27', and a pair of upwardly and inwardly inclinedY arms 27 and 271.v The arm 27"'l terminates in an outwardly bent hook 27 c, and the other arm 27b the riclr to the transfer and distributing arm.`

This trolley comprises-a wheeled truck consisting of parallel side beams`47, a pair of axles 48 and a pair of grooved/trolley wheels 49, mounted on the axles 48 and travelingon the cable 22. Suspended from the side beams 47 .is aU-shaped hanger frame 52, carrying a groovedI pulley 53 o n whichis hung the cable 26,(Figs. 1 andV 3)?V In order to'holdthe t trolley in loading and unloading-position on the cable, there are pivotedon the axles 48 'a pair of dogs 54 formed with-V-shaped' notches 55 attheirlower ends which bite..V

the` cable under? `the `influence of a "pull .ready to travel from the rick to the tram,

or in the reverse direction, the operator pulls down on the cord 58, thereby releasing the dogs 511 from the cable, and then pushes or pulls the loaded or empty trolley to its destination.

To the lower end of the hanger trame 52 is pivotedI a block 59 having a transverse hole G0 to receive a pole 61 adjustably secured thereon by a set screw 62. lThis pole 61 is more particularly hereinafter described in connection with the second phase ot the loading operation represented in Figs. 3 and Al.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate the details oi' a load lowering mechanism that is mounted on the transfer and distributing arm 21. There this arm is of sutiicient length to overhang two adjacent tram cars standing in load receiving position, this lowering mechanism may be stationary on the arm; but in some cases the ties, which are classified according to quality, and separated into ditterent trams, are classified in three divisions, instead of only two, thus requiring three cars at the load receiving point. To accommodate a three-fold division or classii'icatio-n, the load lowering mechanism is preferably mounted to t-ravel on a traclrway 63 on the transfer and distributing arm, and comprises a truck consisting of a. pair ot parallel beams 64 and 65 mounted on axles 66, these latter supported on wheels 67 traveling on the trackway.

Fast on the rear axle 66 is a grooved pulley 68 and the brake 30, comprising a brake disc 69, encircled by a brake band 70. One end of the brake band 70 is attached at 71 to the truck beams 64 and 65, and its other end is attached at 7 2 to a lever Aarm 73 that is pivoted at one end on the axle 66. The arin 73 is connected to the truck beams 6a and 65 by a pull spring 74 thus normally applying the brake band to the brake disc.

Journaled between the truck beams 64 and.

at one side ot the grooved pulley 68 is an idler grooved pulley 75; and on the axle 66 at the outer end ot' the trans't'er arm is a third groove pulley 76. Over the pulleys 68 and 76 and beneath the idler pulley 7 5 is trained an endless chain 77 that hangs down in the form of a loop, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. rllo the tree end of the lever arm 73 is attached a depending pull cord 78.

In Figs. 13 and 14 is shown a form ot' cable hoist or jack which is preferably used for lifting the sagged cable and the loaded tie-carrier preliminary to transmitting the load trom the rick to the tram.

79 designates a post, which may be a round or square section of tubing, the lower end of which is footed directly upon the top ot the stack from which the ties are. lbeing taken. Slidably mounted on the post 79 is a strap 80 carrying a U-shaped hanger 81 in which is journaled a grooved sheave 82 that dire itly engages with the cable 22. To the shaft of the sheave is connected a clevis 83 a smaller clevis 85 having a contracted upper end that receives the lower end ot a rope 86. The rope 86 passes over a sheave 87 journaled in the upper end ot' the post 79 and at its lower end is connected by a clevis 88 to a hand lever 89. rlhis hand lever has pivoted thereto at 90 and 91 a pair ot depending strips 92 and 95, respectively, to the lower end of which strips are secured laterally extending` collars 94 and 95 that embrace the post 79. As the hand lever 89 is swung up and do-wn the pivots 90 and 91 alternately become the fulcrums of the lever, the collars 94 and 95 gradually moving downwardly on the post 79 and alternately gripping the edges ot' the post as they assume canted positions on the latter. firs the hand lever is then swung downwardly, the collar 95 in turn is canted to grip the post and the collar 9a slides downwardly a slight distance. ln this way as the hand lever is swung up and down, the end of the rope 86 attached to the Vhand lever is drawn downwardly, and the she-ave 82 and cable 22 are correspondingly ele.- vated. The tie-carrier with its load is thus lifted clear of the stack leaving the trolley free to slide or be pushed to the tram loading boom. As the stack is lowered, the jack may be lengthcned by having an extension length screwed into its lower end.

Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate a construction of swivel roller that is used on the trams during what l term the second phase oi the loading operation illustrated in Figs. 3 and a. The tram car has on each side a pair ot' curved upstanding posts 96 in the upper ends ol which are sockets 97 (Fig. 15). 9.8 designates a flat bar formed at its ends with depending tenons 99 that lit into the socli-I ets 97 on one side ot' the tram car, the bar 98 thus bridging the space between the two posts 96 on that side of the car. In the bar 98 are a plurality of holes 100, in any of which is mounted a vertically adjustable spindle 101 carrying at its upper end a yoke 102. Journaled in the upstanding arms ot' the yoke 102 is a roller 103, the longitudinal axis of which is preferably slightly inclined to the bar 98. The yoke 102 at the lower end ot' the roller 103 has a pair of upstanding arms 10a on the upper ends o'f which are liournaled substantially vertical rollers 105. The function and mode oi use of this device is hereinatter explained in the description of the operation of the complete systeni.

For raising and lowering the tie-carrier any known and suitable block-and-tackle may be eii'iployed within the broad purview of the invention; but in Figs; 1T, 18, and 19 l have illustrated a construction of differential block-and-tackle designed to effect the rapid lowering and raising of the tie-carrier in situations permitting such rapid operations.

Referring to these views, 106 designates as an entirety the frame of the upper pulley block, in which are journaled on a shaft 107 a pair of differential pulleys 108 and 109. 110 designates the frame of the lower block, in which is journaled on a shaft 111 a single pulley 112. The chain 118 is an endless chain which has a geared engagement with the several pulleys, the peripheries of'the latter being formed with pockets 114 that lit the links of the chain. As shown in Fig. 17,

one limb 113 of the hand pull section of theV chain extends upwardly over the larger pulley 108. Thence the chain extends down.- wardly and around the lower half of the pulley 112, thence upwardly and over the smaller pulley 109, thence downwardly foi-ming the other limb 113 of the hand pull section connected by a depending loop with the hand pull section 113% In the ordina-ry1 differential block-and-tackle the two pulleys in the upper block are integral or rigidly connected and always turn simultaneously in the same direction. Further describingl my present improvement, the pulleys 108 and 109 are independentlyy journaled on the shaft 10T. The pulley 108 has a conical y socket 114 adapted to receive a conical boss 115 on the adjacent face of the pulley 109` thereby forming a cone friction clutch. Preferably also the other face ofthe pulley 109 is formed with a conical socket 116 designed to co-operate with a conical annular rim or boss 117 on one side member of the frame 100;

Slidably mounted on the shaft 10.7 to the right of pulley 109 (Fig. 18) vis a sleeve 118 formed with a longitudinal slot 119 entered by a pin 120 in theV frame 106, whereby said sleeve is permitted a limited longitudinal movement but is locked against rotation. On the inner end of sleeve 118 is a radial flange 121 confined within an annular keepei' ring 122 on the side of pulley 109. Fast onthe outer end of sleeve 118 is a disc 123 formed on its inner face with a series of cam teeth `124. Loosely mounted on the sleeve 118 between the outer side of the frame and the cani discr12l is a similar disc or ring ilorined on its outer face with cam teeth 120 .similar and opposed to the cam teeth 1241. Preferably the outer ends of the teeth 121 are flattened. as shown at 1241/, and similarly the outer ends'of the cam teeth 126 are fiattened as shown at 126. Integral or rigid with thecain disc 125 are'radially extending arms 12.7 and 128. equipped with depending pull cords 129 and 130, respectively. Be-

tween the flangeV 121 of the sleeve 118 and the opposite side of the frame `is interposed a powerful compression spring 131.

ln the operation of this lilocl-aiidtaelcle,`

when the loaded tie-carrier is to be elevated, the cam disc 125 is in a position suoli that its teeth fully interlit with the teeth of the cam disc 123. whereby the cone 115 is formed into clutch engagement with the socket 114", so that the two pulleys are locked to rotate in unison.

By pulling down upon the section 113ll of the Chain, the slack of the cable is taken up sul'liciently to permit the ack to accomplish the actual lifting of the carrier and load free of the pile. In orderto quickly lower the empty carrier at the stack itis necessary only to turn the cam disc 125 slightly by pulling downwardly on the cord 129. This, through the sleeve 118, disconnects the smaller pulley 109 from the larger pulley 108, thus permitting the two pulleys to rotate simultaneously in opposite directions, thereby effecting the rapid descent ofthe tie-carrier, the descent being regulated by the partial contact ofthe clutch members acting as a brake. This descent is arrested at the desired point by a quickpull on the cord 130'which instantly brings, through the spring 131, the two pulleys into fully coupled engagement with each other. For lifting light loads, where the. full mechanical advantage of the differential pulleys is not required, the Vcam disc 125 may be turned i slightly further until the flat sides of the teeth lie against each other. When this occurs the pulley 109 is brought into clutch engagement with the fixed boss 117 on the frame, whereby saidV pulley is locked to the frame. The section of the chain passing over the smaller pulley 109 is thus, in effect, locked to the frame and the construction is reduced to a simple blocliindtac.lle, having one movable pulley 108. Again, by placing the pulley 109 in the intermediate position, the empty tie-carrier can be quickly elevated by pulling down on both hand pull sections 11,3a of the chain.

Railway ties when brought into the yard are piled in the manner illustrated in Figs. 23 and 211. First, a pair of ties a are laid on the ground in parallel relation and a tie length apart. Then a horizontal row b of ties is laid upon them.'` Then the single tiel c` is laid crosswise of one end of the hori- Zontal row b. Then an inclined row d is laid, resting at one end on the tie c and at 1 Vthe opposite end on the row b.

` Then a transverse tie c is laid across the lower end .of the row d, and the horizontal row f rests at one end on the tie e and at the other end on 'the high end of the row d,"

and so on..

To properly enter the lifting arms of the tie-carrier beneath several ties, it is usually next underlying,` row.

necessary to more or less raise that end of the top row which rests directly upon the To facilitate this, I have designed a. simple and effective lifter or expander which is shown in detail in Figs. 20, 21 and 22. This device comprises simply a pair of thin flat bars 132 and 133 which are pivotally united at one longitudinal edge by hinges 134. Connected to or integral with the bars 132 and 133 are laterally extending handles 135 and 136, respectively. The bars 132 and 133 in folded position are inserted between the top row and the next underlying row of ties, and the handles .135

and 136 are tilted upwardly or downwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 22, which opens the two bars of the expander, thereby raising the top row suiiiciently to enable the arms of the tie-carrier to be readily inserted therebeneath. o

Aft-er the rick has been reduced in height to a point where it is unnecessary to use the transfer and distributing arm 21 and its tie- `carrier lowering mechanism, the overhead cable 22 is lowered and suitably tensioned, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cable at the tram loading point being conveniently supported on a pin or stud 137 in the mast 20.

At this point or phase of the operation, the

twin arm tie-carrier illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive may conveniently be replaced by a single arm carrier consisting of a simple hook member 138 having a foot 139 of a size to engage beneath and lift a single tie. (lo-operating with the hook 133 is a tie supporting and steadying device having the general form of an ordinary boathook and consisting of the pole 61 hereinbefore referred to in the description of the trolley (Figs. 9 and 10), the lower end of this pole having a pointed spike 140 adapted to radially pierce the end of a tie, and the pole being further equipped with a handle 141 by which the tooth may be forced into or pulled out of the end of the tie.

As previously described, the upper end of Y the pole 61 is adjustably mounted in the swivel block 59 so that the pole can be shortened 01 lengthened and acts to assume 'lines in Fig. o.

any angle in a vertical plane necessary to effect the registration of the tooth 140 with the end of a tie. llVhen using this tiecarrier, the lower end or foot 139 is entered .beneath a single tie slightl to one side of the center of the latter. ylhe spike 140 of the steadying pole 61 is then jammed into thelonger or heavier` end of the tie, the cable jack is ythen manipulated to elevate .the cable, and the loaded trolley is then pushed or pulled to a point alongside the tram car. lThe end of the tie engaged by the hook is then swung until it rests upon' one of the rollers 103of the .tram car, this position of the tie beingindicated by dotted l The operator then lifts the other end of the tie until it is free of the tie-carrier, pushes the tie forwardly on the roller, and simultaneously thrusts the tie laterally off the roller and onto the tram car. is more speedy and efficient than the method delineated in Figs. 1 and 2 after the rick or stack has been lowered t0 a point at which the cable assumes an up-slant from the stack or rick to the mast, since reducing the power necessary to move the loaded trolley along the cable, and dispensing with the transfer and lowering mechanism between the trolley and the tram car. Of course, the same twin arm tie-carrier previously described might be used at this point or phase of the operation, if desired, but the simple single arm carrier with co-operating steadying hook conduces more efficiently to the manual 11p-ending of the tie on the swivel roller and the rolling of the tie off onto the tram.

The operation of the apparatus has been to a considerable extent indicated in connection with the description of its various co-operating part-s and elements, but'may briefly be outlined as follows:

' The cable having been properly spaced and tensioned above the rick and mast, the trolley having the twin arm tiecarrier suspended therefrom by the transfer hook as shown in Fig. 1, is pushed or drawn to a position over one of the stacks or ricks, and the lifting arms of the carrier are entered beneath three or more ties in the top row of a stack, the expander being entered beneath the top row and manipulated, if necessary, to sufficiently separate the top row from the next underlying row to permit of the insertion of the carrier. The hoist is next manipulated to transfer a part of the weight of the. load to the cable, bowing the latter downwardly to some eX- tent. The jack is then stepped on the top of the stack closely adjacent to the trolley, and is manipulated to raise the cable and the loaded trolley. For the most part this will effect a down-slant of the cable so that the trolley will travel to the unloading and distributing point by gravity, but if not, the trolley ispositively moved by manual or power pushing or pulling until it is alongside the unloading mechanism on the transfer arm 21. The hook 27c of the transfer hook is then slipped over one link of the chain 29 and between the two adjacent links, and the arm 27@ is then lifted off the hook 26 of the block-andtackle- This causes the roller lf3 to run down to the opposite angle of the transfer hook, whereby the trolley is freed of the load and the latter is suspended by the chain 77 and swung above the tram car provided for the particular class of ties it carries. A down pull on the cord 78 permits the loaded This method of transferring the ties fcarrier to descend by gravity to the-bottom of the-loop formed by the chain 77, Whereupon by throwing the handle 39 of the carrier from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in F ig. 7, the carrier frame is tilted and the ties slide by gravity down onto the tram car.A By manual manipulation of chain 77 the empty carrier is then raised to the proper height on the rear limb of chain 77 where it Waits until the carrier with its next load is deposited on theV front limb of chain 77 when it istransferred to the trolley. In effecting such transfer to the trolley the, bent end 27d of the transfer hook is engaged With the hook 26 of the block-and-tackle, whereupon, by sui'in'ging the arm 27e downwardly the empty carrier slides back to the position shown in Fig. 5 whereupon the empty carrier is returned by the trolley to a position above the stack ready to receive another load. Of course, Where two or more cars are in Waiting position, the transfer' arm 21 is swung to one side or the other to a position over the car which receives the ties, the mechanism travelingI Vinwardly or outwardly on the transfer arm as may `be necessary to secure the proper unloading position. This selective feature is of importance because permit-ting a ,f g'rouping` or separation of the ties,

` according to quality, onto two or three tram cars in waiting position.

After' the. rick has been unloaded substantially to or beyond the point indicated in Fig..3, the simpler single arm tie-carrier is preferably substituted, the trolley cable is lowered, the swivel roller attachments are applied to the tram cars, and the further or second phase loading proceeds ina manner already described until the last ties of the rick or stack have been transported and loaded onto the cars.

So .far as I am aware, my present inven tion represents the first effort in the direction olf'mechanical loading` and selective distributing of railway ties Afrom the riels oi stacks onto the tram `cars used in the creosoting process, To my knowledge, this Work has been done by hand for the past sixty years or more. The direct and in; timate manner in Which the several elements of the complete apparatus co-operate to bring about the unitary result of the rapid loading and grading of the ties Will be evident to all persons at all familiar With this particular lndustry. Manifestly, so far as the complete apparatus is concerned, the iudividual partsor elements may be variouslymodilied and changed Vfrom those herein specifically s lioivn and described, and hence.

' inthe broader claims I do not wish to be understood as' restricting the several elements recited therein to the particular mechanicalforms or embodiments herein shown and described as'preferably employed.

I claim:

l. In an apparatus for transferring railway ties from a stack to a tram car, the combination of a trolley cable disposed above the stack and extending thence to a point adjacent to the car, a trolley mounted to travel on saidcable, a tie-carrier suspended from said trolley, and a ack adapt ed to liftingly engage with the cable at a point adjacent to the loaded tie-carrier.

2. In an apparatus for transferring rail-` way ties from a stack to tram cars, the combination of a mast located adjacent to said cars, a horizontally swinging transfer arm on 'said mast movable to positions overhang-ing said cars, a load-lowering device mounted onV said transfer-arm, a` trollev cable disposed above the stack and extending thence to said mast, a trolley mounted to travel on said cable, and a tie-carrier suspended from said trolley. p 3. ln an apparatus for transferring railway ties from a stack to tram cnrs, the combination of a mast located adjacent to said cars; a horizontally swinging transfer-arm in said mast movable lo prsitions overhanging said cars, a load-lowering device mounted on said transfer arm, a trolley cable disposed above the stack and extending thence to said mast, a trolley mounted to travel on said cable, a tie-carrier suspended from said trolley, and a jack adapted to liftingly engage with said cable at a point adjacent to the loaded tie-carrier. y

4. In an apparatus for transferring railway ties from a stack totram cars, the com bination of a mast located adjacent to said cars, a horizontally swinging transfer arm on said movable to positions overhanging said cars, a load-lowering mechanism, includin g a depending chain, mounted on said transiter arm, a trolley cable disposed above the stack and extending thence to said mast, a trolley mounted to travel on said cable,`

a block-and-tackle suspended from i saidtrolley, a tie-carrier, and a transfer `member from which said tie-carrier is hung, said transfer member being alternately engaged with said block-and-tackle and said chain.

5. AIn an apparatus for transferring railway ties from a stack to tram cars, the combination of a mast located adjacent to said cars, a horizontally swinging transfer-arm on said mast movable to positions overhanging said cars, a load-lowering mecha-` nism, including a depending endlesschain and a chain supporting and controlling mechanism mounted to travel on said transferarm, a trolleycable disposed above the stack and extending thence to said mast, a trolley mounted to travel on said cable,'a block-and-tackle suspended from said trolley, a tie carrier, and a transfer hook on yWhich Said tie-carrier is suspended, Said transfer-hook being alternately engaged with said block-and-tackle and said chain.

6. In an apparatus for transferring railway ties from a stack to train cars, the combination of a mast located adjacent to said lars, a. horizontally swinging transfer arm on said mast movable 'to positions overhanging said cars, a load-lowering mechanism, including a depending endless chain, and a chain supporting and controlling mechanism, mounted to travel on said transfer arm, a trolley cable disposed above the stack and extending thence t-o said mast, a trolley mounted to travel on said cable, a block-and-taclrle, suspended from said trolley, atie-carrier, a transfer hook having a portion permanently engaged with said tiecarrier and separated portions alternately engageable with said block-and-tacllc and said chain, and a jack adapted to liftingly engage with said cable at a point adjacent to the loaded tie-carrier.

7. In an apparatus for transferring railway ties, t-he combination of a transfer arm disposed above a tram car, a pair of spaced pulleys mounted on said arm, an endless load-receiving chain suspended from said pulleys, a brake disc fast with one of said pulleys, a spring-tensioned brake-band encircling said brake disc, and a manually operable lever for expanding said brakeband.

8. In an apparatus for transferring railway ties, the combination of a mast, a horizontally swinging transfer arm on said mast,

and formed with a track-way, a truck movable on said track-way, a pair of spaced pulleys journaled on said truck, an endless load-receiving chain suspended from said pulleys, a brake-disc fast with one of said pulleys, a spring-tensioned brake-band encircling said brake-disc, and. a manually operable lever for expanding said brakeband.

9. In a transfer apparatus for railway ties, a transfer device for shifting atie-cai'- rier between a trolley hook and a loadlowering chain consisting of a substantially triangular member having a base portion on which the tie-carrier is slidably suspended and upwardly and inwardly inclined side portions terminating in hooks adapted to engage with said trolley hook and said loadlowering chain respectively.

l0. In a transfer apparatus for railway ties, a transfer device for shifting a tie-cai'- rier between a trolley hook and a loadlowering chain consisting of a substantially triangular member having a base portion on which the tie-carrier is slidably suspended and. upwardly and inwardly inflincd side portions terminating in hooks adapted to alternately engage with said trolley hook and said load-lowering chain respectively, and a handle continuous with one of the hooks of said transfer device by which the latter may be tilted during the transfer operation.

ROBERT S. I-IURIJEY. 

